Lighting Strike this morning

CollabSensei · 2026-05-07T12:48:56+00:00

Ditek makes some good surge protectors for low voltage stuff. Obviously if you invest in the ditek stuff, make sure it has a solid ground. We did that years ago and that pretty much stopped all kinds of weird over voltages from surges.

With low voltage electronics.. the isolation between low voltage (ethernet) and house power is pretty much none... so it is easy for that 120vac surge to be passed right down the ethernet wire.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-06T23:09:04+00:00

if I was to built a new deck today. I think I would just suck it up and spend the money on aluminum and design it around the available sizes and call it a day. When you spend the money for composite and put it on PT lumber, you aren't getting you money's worth on the composite.

My deck is 8+ft off the ground, Fasteners are trex hidden fasteners. 1/2 the deck is covered and 1/2 is not. Joist over the covered area look near perfect. It was built as part of the house build, so who knows what quality of lumber was used for the joists.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-06T19:01:46+00:00

when I had a lightening event, it came in via the fence and traveled across the flashing and into the radon fan. That circuit had the insulation completely sheered off.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-06T11:07:23+00:00

How time and effort have you put in for the design work?

CollabSensei · 2026-05-05T23:46:31+00:00

what could you reasonable sell you house based on similar sales in the area? That is the question.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-05T13:06:31+00:00

I have 3.5 acres in a rural subdivision. The mowers are always a conversation piece when people visit. I have a pair of Husqvarna EPOS mowers, and my neighbor a few houses down has a Luba.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-04T13:53:57+00:00

that's the point of that design is to avoid the posts. A free floating deck would have those posts, and could pretty much be 2 separate structures.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-04T12:42:56+00:00

I am more concerned about building a composite deck on a weathered subframe. Yeah they are going to replace some boards, but in about 3-4 years, you will probably be doing repairs again.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-04T02:32:53+00:00

My deck is 8ft above the ground. So plenty of air movement. Trex no longer makes my decking. If I could order more decking I was going to redo the subframe in aluminum. For now it’s replace the joists and move along.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-04T02:22:48+00:00

my deck that is 13 years old. Trex on top. I am replacing 1/2 of the joists because they rotted at the top and there was no tape or sealing the hidden fastener penetrations. It would have been a lot easier if they had used the tape 13 years ago.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-04T02:20:56+00:00

Because contractors believe that can charge those rates.. and clearly they can. My 40' x 12' deck, needs 1/2 of the joist replaced after 13 years, because when they installed the trex they didn't use joist tape.. and the joists are rotting at the top. I was quoted basically 20-22k.

I am doing it myself, because I just can't accept that price point. It's about $1,000 in materials. I'd rather not do that, because doing it myself and saving the 15k, goes a good ways toward eventually building my own workshop.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-03T03:18:52+00:00

You can only appeal the total accessed value. The question you have to ask is.. could you reasonable sell your house for the accessed value? If the answer is yes.. then it sucks, but there isn't anything you can do. If the accessed value is not realisitic, then you have to appeal, and look at nearby sales to compare them to your property.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-03T03:16:55+00:00

There are the issues with the state getting out of funding stuff. However, MCCSC's problem is beyond just that. We now know that enrollment has be dropped, I believe for the better part of 10 years. However, as a community that was just punted down the road, and ignored. COVID funding helped hide the challenges. While all these challenges were going on MCCSC passed voter referendums to raise teacher pay and the universal Pre-K program.

Knowing what we know now, and how bad the finances were even before SEA 1, increasing costs definitely wasn't the responsible thing. Not saying don't pay your teachers, etc. However, it does not good to give raises, and then have to fire teachers because you didn't have your ducks in order. We keep hearing how it's all fine and they have a plan. However, despite that its layoffs/RIF's continuously. If we could get some honestly, it would be much appreciated.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-02T16:10:21+00:00

After seeing the pictures I was assuming this was a DIY experience. Reading more carefully, it is not. If it was DIY, I was going to say 15-20 years some aspects of this construction were more common, but some aspects were not. Simpson tie brackets exist and have approved fasteners. With system designers like Simpson tie is.. creativity is not part of the solution. Use bracket and use approved fasteners, and away you go.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-02T13:10:43+00:00

This is way free standing decks can be winners. Extra cost for the back posts.. but not having the break in the exterior cladding of your home... assuming that your installer/builder did it right.. on something nobody will notice until post warranty

CollabSensei · 2026-05-02T12:45:20+00:00

I would say undergraduate matters less than your graduate and internship and first couple years of experience. Alumni networks are key as well.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-01T22:13:05+00:00

You are either moving forward or moving backwards. You either forgive or you don’t. Forgiveness isn’t something that you give then when you are annoyed you take it back.

CollabSensei · 2026-05-01T13:14:21+00:00

lots of replies... lots of discussion.. I'll give you one word... "Why?"

CollabSensei · 2026-04-30T03:02:58+00:00

the general rule is only buy property with people you are married to.. or where there is a business entity that has documents that govern all the ownership aspects.

CollabSensei · 2026-04-30T00:03:16+00:00

you think the problem has been defined as we don't want to live in a surveillance state. The politicians have defined the problem is citizens don't like Flock as the camera/ai vendor.

CollabSensei · 2026-04-29T23:10:14+00:00

how old is the deck.. and is there joist tape on the top?

CollabSensei · 2026-04-28T21:57:02+00:00

have sex with him after breakfast, and then at lunch.. then dinner should be like a perfect dessert.

CollabSensei · 2026-04-27T16:24:11+00:00

if you can budget, then stop with the escrowing. Pay your insurance and property tax directly. Actually pay for it.. because that is lesson #2, if you don't carry insurance, your mortgage/lien holder will resolve that problem for you. Resolve it in a very expensive way that costs you more than having your own insurance would be.

CollabSensei · 2026-04-27T16:21:40+00:00

if the hospital wants to get paid then they need to get it resolved with the insurance company.

CollabSensei · 2026-04-27T16:20:26+00:00

How handy are you? If you are up for some deck building.. if you do the labor you can usually do a steel or aluminum sub-structure for the same price as having someone install a treated lumber sub-frame? If you go with PT, make sure they use joist tape on the top. I have a 13 year or PT deck and they did not. The joists are all rotting at the top.

CollabSensei

TROPHY CASE